Cramping device



Feb. 22,1927. 1,618,654

v C. GRONSKl CRAMPING DEVICE Original Filed Feb. 12, 1926 WITNESSES lNVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 22, 3927.

ilhiiTED STATEg PATENT QFFICE.

CHARLES GRQNSKI, OF SHERIDAN, "WYOMING.

CRAM?ING DEVICE.

Original application filed February 12, 1926, Serial No. 87,983. "Divided and this application filed July 3,

My invention relates to the manufacture of shoes, and more particularly to an improvement in cramping devices, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

The present application is a division of m rior pending application, Serial aft-87,963, filed February 12, 1925, for cramping device and shoes. I

An object of the invention is the provision of a simple, reliable and cftlcieut cramping device for holdingtheleather main body I portion 01' a shoe upper stretched and in a desirable shape so that a shoe which includes said main body portion of the shoe upper will lit the foot for which it is intended smoothly and accurately.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cramping device of the character described which can be adjusted quickly and easily either to hold the leather main upper body of a shoe upper or to release the leather body, as desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of the improved cramping device in use, and I Figure 2 is a horizontal section through the cramping device.

The improved cramping device includes a pair of clamping arms 1 which are hinged together at their outer ends, as at 2, to swing about an axis which extends at right angles to the direction of length of each of the arms. The inner or adjacent faces of the opposite end portions of the arms 1 are roughened, as by being formed withtransversely extending teeth 3; Each arm 1 is provided with a pair of laterally extending arms 4 at the side thereof which is nearest to the other arm, the ears 4 of each pair being aligned transversely of the arm on which they are mounted and being provided with aligned openings, as at 5, for a purpose to be presently described.

The pairs of cars 4 are located at the outer ends of the toothed portions of the arms and these arms may be apertnred transversely, as at 6, by openings or slots which extend between the ears 4 of the re spective pairs and outwardly in the arms for the greater part of the length of the arms.

Serial: No. 120,405.

1 and the opposite end portion of the jaw member 7 is disposed in confronting relation to the toothed end portion of the associated arm 1 and isprovided with transversely extending teeth, as at 9, on its outer i face for cooperating with the teeth 3 of the 7 jaw portion of the associated arm 1 to grip a piece of leather or like object which has been thrust between the toothed jaw portion of the member 7 and the toothed or aw portion of the associated arm 1.

A aw member 10 is supported intermediate its length between the ears 4 ot the sec ond arm 1 by means of a pivot element 11 so that the outer end portion of the member 10 will be swingable in the transverse aperture 6 ot the second arm 1 and the opposite end portion of the member 10, which has transverse teeth at 12 in its outer face, will be disposed in position to cooperate with the toothed end portion or jaw of the second arm 1 to grip an object which has been placed therebetween. The outer end portion of the jaw memberlO is pivotally attached, as at 13, to an end of an operating rod 14 which extends through the aperture 6 of the arm 1 which supports the jaw member 7. The operating rod 14 also extends loosely through a transverse opening 15 in the outer end portion of the jaw member 7. A substantially wedge-shaped washer or thrust member 16 is freely slidable on the outer end portion of the rod 14 and bears against the outer face of the adjacent arm 1. The rod 14 is provided with screw threads for the greater part of its length for engagement with an adjusting nut 17 which bears against the washer '16 and which preferably is provided with a laterally extending crank handle, as at 17, whereby the nut can be turned quickly and easily on the rod 14.

The parts which have been'described so far preferably are made of metal.

The cramping block or last 19 is formed of wood or other suitable material and is Ill shaped to have substantially the form of a foot for which the shoe is to be made. The instep portion of the bloclg 19 has shallow depressions formed therein at opposite sides of the instep, as at 20, for the reception of the extremities of the jaw portions of the jaw members 7 and ll), as illustrated to ad vantage in Fig.

The operation of the cramping device is substantially as follows:

The piece of leather 21 which will form the main body portionot a shoe upper is fitted on the block 11) after the leather piece .21 has been soaked for approximately ill minutes in water that the side edges of the piece of leather 21 will be disposed at the :tront of the block. One of these side edges of the pieoeojt leather :21 is placed between the jaws which are carriedby one ot the arms 1 while the other side edge portion of the piece of leather 221 inserted between the jaws oi the other arm I. trhnall pieces oi" leather, as at :32 may be placed betwee'nfithc outer faces of the main piece of leather E21 and the teeth o l the adj apent jaws, to prevent marring or cutting oil the outer t'aces oi the side edge portions of the leather member 2i. At this time, the extremities of the jaw members T and .10 will be seated in the cavities 2t) and the jaws which are can ried by the respective arms I, will be tightened so that the side edge portions of the piece of leather 21 will be firmly gripped when the nut [T is turned on the rod .l-t as required to tort-e the adjacent arm 1 toward the second arm I. The piece of leather it then will be placed under tension which will stretch the leather sulliciently to cause it to act-orally conform to the cross sectioin l contiguration oi? the block it). The piece ol leather fill therefore will be sha ied as required to lit the block 19 smoothly, particularly the portion of the block 19 which has the shape of the ankle portion ot the foot for which the shoe that is to he made in tended. After the member 2i has been stretched to shape on the block 19 in the manner just described, edge portions thereof may be tacked to the block, as at 23, and

the piece of leather 21 is left in place on the block tor a desirable period which probably will be about 2% hours. "Permanent set ot the stretched and shaped piece of leather 21 then will have been ell'ected and-the member 21 when released from the pairs of jaws of the cramping device and removed from the block will have a shape which will adapt it 1:)articu1arly tor use as the body portion of the upper of a shoe that will fit the foot smoothly and accurately.

The hereinbelore described cramping device is particularly well adapted for use in forming a shoe including an upper having no vertical sean'is at the back and being particularly well shaped so as to smoothly lit the foot for which it is intended.

Obviously, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other than that which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and Ithereiiorc consider as my own all such nitalifieations and adaptations thereof as itairly fall within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:----

In a shoe crainpingg; device, a pair o'lf arms hinged together at their outer ends and ha rint; stationary jaws at their other ends, the adjacent fares oi said stationary jaws having transverse teeth, and said arms having; pairs of spaced ears at their adjacent sides outwardly of the toothed portions, other jaw members pivotally supported intermediate their length between the ears on said arms, each of said last named jaw members having transverse teeth on its outer face in ronfronting relation to the teeth of the jaw por tion of the aiisoriatcd arm and beingadapted to cooperate with the jaw portion of the associated arm to grip a piece of leather or like object which has been placed the-rebetwcen, said arms having transverse apertures outwardly of said ears for the rcception at the enter endportions of said second named jaw members, the outer end por tion ot one oisaid second named jaw members having a transrerse aperture, an adjusting rod. jiiYUttlll) attached at one end to the other jaw member at the outer end ot the last named jaw member and extending through the aperture of the aperturcd second named aw member, the tree end portion of said rod extendine through the aperture in the arm which supports said apertured second named jaw member, a washer slidable on the rod against the outer face of the adjacent arm, and a nut in threaded engagement with said rod and bearing against said washer, said nut being, adjustable to *ause swinging movement of said arms toward each other and to cause closing of the jaws of one of said arms.

CHARLES GRONSKI. 

